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I also believe in the power one has to avoid circumstances in which they are uncomfortable.
Negotiation and consent are also very important to me.
If you are triggered easily or do not like subjects involving religion, politics, or sex, I urge you to please click away and have a pleasant day.*

Monday, May 3, 2010

What cookies taught me.

I'm going to ignore the fact that I've not posted in forever because there was a lot of life changes that happened.....so that's that.

I've really come to realize in the last few weeks what "quality time" means. It's a phrase that's thrown around a whole lot, but has lost a lot of meaning in general conversation. What does quality time mean?

Mostly defined as: time devoted to somebody or something: time spent with friends or family in enjoyable activities that enhance the relationship. OR Time during which one focuses on or dedicates oneself to a person or activity.

I like: time devoted exclusively to nurturing a cherished person or activity.

I like that - devotion in exclusivity - nurturing a _cherished_ person or activity - and I like including myself in that "person" catagory. Time is so fleeting, so quickly gone. The years have passed so quickly recently and they're only going to seem to go by faster as I get older. I've realized I want each moment of my life to have meaning - for every day to be spent doing things of quality, even if it's relaxing with friends. Time should have meaning, we're given so much of it and most of it is wasted on zoning out mindlessly, or 'killing' it. I want to learn something with every interaction I have during my life - even if it's a reminder that naps are good for the soul or rice flour is sweeter than regular flour or a reminder that balloons stick to hair through static energy or that the wind is icky when biking against it. I want each thing I do to have purpose, to honestly pay attention to it, to devote myself to really cherishing those things around me that are beautiful and add meaning to my life, to enjoy the beautiful things that come out of my interactions with others, the world around me, and myself.

Yesterday I watched a woman make cookies. It was the most beautiful thing I'd seen in a long time. Simple and silly when I say it like that, but it's true. I was happy, drinking tea at the hearth of a place that felt like home, watching cookies being made, talking to friends, playing with balloons now and then, watching the wind whip the pink blossoms of the flowers outside and I was simply happy.

Watching her mix cookie dough in a blue ceramic bowl was so serene, homey, calming, uplifting, exemplifying togetherness, love of food, and hard work, dedication to having something be done right that I was for the first time in a long time - in the moment. And then those moments of amazing, learning things, sharing knowledge and passion for baking or balloons or board games continued most of the weekend.